WALT’S WILY.. DUBS WILT

Walsh puts in another brilliant show as Blues suffer first 2022 loss

A DECADE after bursting onto the scene with a memorable 1-3 haul for Kilkenny in 2012, Walter Walsh was up to his old tricks again.

The experienced attacker helped himself to another 1-3, this time at Parnell Park, to end Dublin’s unbeaten start to 2022 and send Kilkenny top of Division 1B.

In what amounted to a repeat of last July’s Kilkenny win over Dublin at nearby Croke Park in the Leinster final, Brian Cody’s side led virtually from pillar to post.

Kilkenny went from good in the first half to excellent after the break though Dublin were a pale shadow of the side that dug so deep to beat Tipperary at Semple Stadium last weekend.

It was a third quarter burst of Kilkenny scoring that did the trick for the Cats, an unanswered 2-3 blitz silencing Dublin.

Walsh, who memorably fired 1-3 on his debut in the 2012 All-ireland final replay defeat of Galway, scored the first of those Kilkenny goals and Martin Keoghan grabbed the second.

There were impressive Kilkenny cameos too from wing-back David Blanchfield who struck 0-3 and freetaker Alan Murphy who helped get them up and running with a strong first half.

But after seven games without defeat, a run that yielded Walsh Cup honours for Dublin, their unbeaten start to 2022 is finally over.

Mattie Kenny’s side will travel to Portlaoise in Round 5 to wrap up their group campaign against Laois while Kilkenny will host Waterford next.

Kilkenny led 0-11 to 0-5 at half-time in perfect conditions at the north Dublin venue.

Seven early wides cost Dublin but the hosts’ difficulties were more to do with the quality of Kilkenny’s defending as the 2021 joint champions locked down their back line. At the other end, Kilkenny were hungry and efficient with a two-man full-forward line of Billy Ryan and Keoghan operating in front of a packed midfield buttressed by Cillian Buckley. Kilkenny seized on every Dublin mistake, like Tom Phelan’s interception of a Donal Burke sideline cut and lay-off to Walter Walsh (inset) who strode forward for a well taken score. Keoghan was busy and bright, despite the attentions of former Dublin underage star Andrew Dunphy, and set up Alan Murphy and Walsh for points. Free-taker Murphy finished the half with five points though Phelan’s withdrawal with an apparent injury shortly before the interval was a setback. Dublin started the second half with points from Donal Burke and Rian Mcbride to get within three – hinting at a comeback.

But the insurgency was snuffed out by that 2-3 Kilkenny blitz.

Walsh got the visitors going with his 44th minute goal and then Keoghan followed his lead with a net blast from the right channel after good work by John Donnelly.

Sub Donnelly got among the scorers late on as 10 different Kilkenny players in total got on the scoresheet. DUBLIN: A Nolan; A Dunphy, S Moran, C O’callaghan; J Madden, P Smyth, J Bellew; C Burke, C Crummey; D Sutcliffe (0-3), R Mcbride (0-1), D Burke (0-9, 5f, 2 65); F Whitely, R Hayes (0-2), A Mellett. SUBS: E Dillon for Whitely 46, J Malone for C Burke 51, D Ryan for Moran 52, P Crummey (0-1) for Hayes 59, C Currie for Mellett 61. KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; M Carey (0-2), P Deegan, D Blanchfield (0-3); C Kenny (0-1), A Murphy (0-5, 4f); W Walsh (1-3), P Walsh (0-4), T Phelan; B Ryan (0-2), C Buckley (0-1), M Keoghan (1-1). SUBS: J Donnelly (0-1) for Phelan 35, J Maher for Kenny 45. REFEREE: P O’dwyer (Carlow).